Tap Code
by Garace
Summary: Face and Murdock one shot. War Time violence, nothing major. Face using the tap code to comfort Murdock


**Tap Code**

Murdock sat trembling on his rickity bed in the VA. He knew they were coming to get him for another case, but- he just couldn't do it today.

 _The Veitnameese jungle enclosed him. He didn't know which way was out and which way was back to the camp._

 _"Come on Murdock," Face appeared infront of him, holding out his trembling hands. "It's this way, come on!"_

A sob escape Murdock's throat, his knees were tucked up to his chest and his hands were pulled over his head.

"Face," he whimpered.

 _"It's this way, come on!"_

 _Murdock didn't have any shoes, the bamboo cut at his bare feet. Face still had his boots, the captors didn't take the young lieutenant's shoes. Still, Face moved a lot quicker than the Captain._

 _"Murdock please hurry up, Hannibal and BA are waiting for us."_

The real face opened the door, he had a plaid shirt on and blue jeans. "Hey Buddy."

Murdock whimpered and pressed himself closer to the wall. "F-Face."

The young lieutenant was immiedietly by his friends side, "Murdock, what's wrong?" The Captain trembled under his strong hand.

 _"Murdock please," the lieutenant pleaded as Murdock callapsed for the second time. "Please Murdock, it's just over this hill."_

 _Murdock's stick thin legs were shaking as he pulled himself out of the dirt. "P-promise?"_

 _"I promise Buddy," Face grabbed onto his arm. "Come on, just a little bit more."_

Face took in the situation as he realized what was going on. "Murdock come on, shake out of it."

Murdock opened his eyes again and looked over at the real face, "F-Face. This is-n't real is i-it."

Face reached over and tapped on the rubber part of his converse.

Four taps, a pause, two taps.

 _R_

One tap, a pause, five taps.

 _E_

One tap, a pause, another tap.

 _A_

Three taps, a pause, one tap.

 _L_

All the other fake Face's had never used tap code. Back in their hooch's, they would use tap code to eachother so their Captors wouldn't hear them. Sometimes to other prisinors, mostly about help, food and water.

Murdock sat up, his cheeks stained with tears. Face sat closer to him, his back against the wall.

 _Face finally led the Captain over the hill. Hannibal and BA stood there waiting. Somehow, they got Murdock a new pair of boots and fresh water._

 _"You okay Captain?" Hannibal's blue eyes deepened and looked at Face, concern writen over his face._

 _Murdock absent mindedly nodded. "Tip top shape Colonel."_

 _"Let's keep moving then."_

Face knew better not to reach out and contact the Captain in any sort of way. "Murdock, this is real. Okay? Just please to my voice." He kept his voice level and calm.

"Pl-ease leave m-me alon-e," The captain stuttered and looked blankly at the wall. "N-no p-lease."

Face reached over and grabbed a well worn blanket off the end of the bed. "Murdock, please listen."

 _The four men traveled quickly, looked for anything that could be used as a flare. As they made came that night, Murdock sat as close to Face as he could._

 _The two young men had both shared a bamboo pallet back in their hooch. Face was quite used to it infact. Murdock was dangerously quiet._

 _Face tapped_ U OK _on Murdock's bare leg, then he drew a question mark._

 _Murdock shook his head and tapped_ NO _._

 _"What's wrong?" Face asked under his breath, looking over at the young man with caution._

 _Murdock rested his head on the lieutenant's shoulder, that was enough for Face. His thin arm went around the Captain's shoulder and pulled him close._

Face threw the blanket over both of the men, Murdock's head fell on the lieutenant's shoulder, just like all those years ago.

"A-re you r-real?" Murdock sniffed and wiped his nose.

"Yeah I'm real," Face whispered. Then he reached for the phone on the bedside table and dialed Hannibal's number.

"Wh-what are you doin'?" Murdock panicked, fear lanced through his brown eyes.

"Calling Hannibal," Face said gently and brushed the Captain's hair back. "Relax."

Hannibal picked up on the third ring, Face quietly explained the situation.

"Bring him to the van, you can scam us a house to stay at," Hannibal orderered.

 _Before any of the mean had waken, Murdock slipped out into the bamboo fortress._

 _There he stumbled upon a dead body, there was a bullet through the back of the young man's head, his BDU's were stiff with blood. Flies swarmed the body, chunks had been taken out of the body._

 _"You need a shower buddy," Murdock joked to no one but himself._

 _There was crunching as the young lieutenant joined the Captain. "Watcha find Buddy?"_

Murdock was soon tucked away snuggling in his seat in the van. Neither of the four men said a word as Face changed into more apropriete clothes to get a house.

An hour later, the team pulled into the house. Face led Murdock inside and into the first bedroom he saw.

Murdock pulled off his ratty converse and leather jacket before getting under the covers.

"Murdock, you wanna talk about it?" Face pulled off his suit jacket and sat down beside the Captain.

 _Face held his breath as he searched the body. He found a gun, a swiss army knife, some canned food and three flares._

 _"You did good Murdock," Face rubbed Murdock's shoulder. "Watcha doing up anyway?"_

 _Murdock scratched a scab on his forearm and looked down. "Couldn't sleep," it was no more than a mumble, but Face heard it._

 _"I don't blame ya," Face said. "Come on, let's go show them what we found. Okay?"_

 _Murdock nodded and they made their way back to camp._

The Captain squeazed his eyes shut as he was plauged with other flashback of their gruesome escape. "N-no," he whimpered. "P-please no-o."

Face reached over and rubbed Murdock's back, "please Murdock. I can't help you if you don't tell me."

The Captain promptly shook his head.

Three taps, a pause, five taps.

 _P_

Three taps, a pause, one tap.

 _L_

One tap, a pause, five taps.

 _E_

One tap, a pause, then another tap.

 _A_

Four taps, a pause, three taps.

 _S_

One tap, a pause, five taps.

 _E_

 _Hannibal and BA were ready to leave by the time they got back, they started again into the infinite bamboo fortress._

 _Face held onto the flare because Murdock wanted him too. Murdock didn't want to be held accountable for such a resonsibility._

 _"How're you holding up Buddy?" Face asked as he held Murdock upright by his shoulders._

 _Murdock didn't answer, they had ran out of water and food days before. The Captain was the thinnest of the four, his BDU's hung off of him like a sheet._

 _The sound of an American Huey brought them back to reality._

So Murdock told Face, a voice in the back of his head screamed at him not too, how he was going to take him back to the VA.

Face finally got under the covers with him and brought him close. The young Captain was trembling.

"I-I don't w-want to lo-se you Face," Murdock trembled.

 _Face lit the flare and the Huey came circling down. For just their luck, it was a medical huey._

 _The Doctors found their dogtags and was astonished that they were still alive. "It's been nearly four years, is there others?"_

 _Hannibal struck up a conversation as his men were attended too. Murdock sat close to the liuetenant and refused to leave his side._

"Lose me Murdock? You can't lose me," Face said and his fingers glided over The Captain's back. "You know why?"

"Why?" Murdock sniffed and sat up.

"Because," Face gently grabbed Murdock's trembling hand. "Feel it, feel this right here," he placed his hand gently over his right breast. "I've got a half a heart and you've got a half. We're joined together Murdock."

Tears streamed down again and Murdock threw his arms around the liuetenant.

 _When the four were released from the hospital, a beautiful blonde threw his arms around Face. Face winked at the Captain from over her shoulder and pointed at his heart._

We're in this together _he mouthed._

 _Murdock smiled._


End file.
